Show Seconds on the Windows 11 Taskbar Clock (and Hide the Clock)

You want the taskbar clock in Windows 11 to display seconds — or the clock has disappeared from the corner and you want it back.

Why: By default Windows 11 shows only the time and date in the corner, not seconds, to use a little less power. Seconds and clock visibility are each controlled by their own toggle, so it’s a quick settings change once you know where they live.

Fix 1: Turn on seconds in Taskbar behaviors

1. Right-click an empty part of the taskbar and choose Taskbar settings (or open Settings > Personalization > Taskbar).
2. Expand Taskbar behaviors.
3. Check the box for Show seconds in system tray clock (uses more power).

The corner clock starts ticking in seconds right away. Clear the same box to go back to hours and minutes only.

Fix 2: Get the clock back if it’s missing

If the time and date have vanished from the corner, the system-tray clock toggle is off.

1. Open Settings > Time & language > Date & time.
2. Make sure Show time and date in the System tray is turned On.
3. While you’re here, you can also turn on Show seconds in system tray clock (uses more power) from this page.

FAQ

Why does Windows warn that seconds “uses more power”? Updating the clock every second wakes the display logic more often, so it draws a little extra battery. On a desktop it’s negligible; on a laptop it’s a minor trade-off.

Can I add a second time zone or more clocks? Yes — that’s in Settings > Time & language > Date & time > Additional clocks, separate from the seconds toggle.

Sources: Microsoft Support — Customize the Taskbar in Windows · Microsoft Support — Set time, date, and time zone settings in Windows